COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION Midnight Ryder – a hat tip to Bischoff’s son, Elliott Ryder – is cloaked in mystery and full of surprises. A style of disputed origins and merit, American Black Ale puts a distinctly American twist on the India Pale Ale with five varieties of malt that give this dark beer a medium body and a complex array of flavors including caramel, chocolate and a smidgen of roast. Sealing the deal are six varieties of American-grownhops added throughout the 90-minute boil. This beer offers a resinous and piney character with just enough citrus to bring balance at the finish line.

Pours a dark brown with a big dark tan head that lasts forever and leaves good lacing. Aroma of pine, citrus and some chocolate. Taste has bittersweet chocolate, some roastiness, citrus and a combination of bright roasty and piney bitterness. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth drinking and a good blend of flavors. Not very complex but very enjoyable.

Draft at the brewery. Don’t get me started on my rant about "black IPAs" again ... this is a good coffee-based base, a bit chalky, with a big hoppy flourish. It’s good, but I still don’t care for the combination. (#5667, 8/28/2014)

Pours black with a medium tan head. Aroma is chocolate and malt with piney hops. Flavor is overtly chocolate and light roasty malt with caramel, vanilla, and nutty notes with some distinct citrus and piney hop bitterness present particularly on the finish. Medium body with medium carbonation. Great effort.

From Eden Prairie Liquor. Pours darker than cola colored with a foamy tan head. Aroma has dark patent malts, light citrus and pine with caramel. Later down on the glass, some nuttiness. Taste is of sweet caramel, bitter nuts, some espresso, light grapefruit with black malts. Medium bodied with a touch of alcohol. Finishes more bitter nutty/malty than sweet on the bitter-sweet scale,. Solid offering. 13.8

Can: &nbsp Very much like a Black Ale, albeit with a little more hop bounce (but not too much), lots of dry chalky bakers chocolate, and a touch of pasture. &nbsp Moderate body and mouthfeel. &nbsp Seems a bit dry as well. &nbsp Moderate body and mouthfeel, albeit nearing the thing side. &nbsp Comes across as not very adventurous, a bit of a mediocre example. &nbsp Nothing off, but nothing outstanding either.

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